Numismatic Forensic's

that's a mouthful all in itself!
is it for good? or is it over the top? In some ways it could be however there is a reason for the study of coins "As a series" or a progression.....A very interesting topic from the past has always interested me and its a study of the progression of rust on a die...

1887-O V22A
The subject two coins are both V22 or V22A. They are have doubled eye lid, doubled left stars,
doubled bottom of lower cotton leaf, and pitting of two different levels on the reverse. For the
sake of discussion, they are both the same die marriage, no doubt. They are both also clashed
with the wing clash below Liberty's chin, neck clash above eagle's right wing up towards the
"G", and the capvee clash by the right wreath. The wing clash below Liberty's neck matches the
location of the clash shown in the V22B VAM Plate. However, neither of these coins shows a
clashed "G" or "t", likely gone from die wear.
A quick cursory review would lead one to believe that the coin with the lesser pitting is the EDS of the coin with the most pitting.
However, there are things on the obverse which might lead to a conclusion that the EDS coin is
actually the LDS. However, what I can't explain is that if this was the case, then the coin with
the lesser pitting should show signs of polishing. With the extent of the pitting on the bow and
left leaf cluster of the left wreath, the polishing to remove this pitting would have been very
aggressive, and would show on the coin with the lesser pitting if it was polished.
Since the telltale signs of die stage are very close between the two coins, I can only come to the conclusion that the coin labeled as EDS by PCGS is actually the EDS.
So then the question becomes, how did the pitting get to the advanced stage from the EDS to the
LDS?
What I can't explain is a die progression that makes sense. JR says he has seen a plain jane V22.
So let's take that at face value. How can you have a V22A with full pitting on the reverse, and a
V22B with full pitting on the reverse with the EDS coin in the mix? If the V22B preceded the
V22A, meaning all V22As were clashed but lack the letter transfer from die wear, then how does the EDS coin fit into this?
Only explanation I can come up with is that the dies clashed without letter transfer before the
pitting progressed from the EDS coin to the LDS coin. At some later stage the dies clashed again,
with the exact same rotation and position, with letter transfer to create the V22B.
V22, no clash no pitting
V22A EDS, clash, no letter transfer, minor pitting
V22A LDS, clash, no letter transfer, full pitting
V22B, double clash with letter transfer, full pitting.
Only problem with this scenario is that I can't pick up any sign of double clash on the V22BVAM Plate.
By the way, as a side note, the LDS shows signs of ejection doubling on the reverse. Makes me
think that the pitting in the reverse die was causing the coin to "stick" to the reverse die.

Pictures will follow....